Leaving school with no qualifications, except an O-level in Art, the careers advice offered to me was:
a) shop assistant
b) clerical / office work
c) hairdressing.
There was another option – to go back to school and then study fine art (with the guidance and mentorship of my art teacher) - but I chose option C, with the promise of an apprenticeship, income, and independence.
It didn’t take long to learn that hairdressing wasn’t the profession for me. But what was?
A couple of years as a psychiatric nursing assistant, followed by a few months as an au pair in France led to the realisation that I needed a trade that I could always fall back on. An opportunity presented itself with a three-month government sponsored scheme to learn a variety of office skills, including typing and book-keeping. This introduced me to The Guild Organisation, which led to a career in communication in the film industry.
Internal comms wasn’t widely recognised as a distinct function at this time, so there wasn’t a big, conscious career decision on my part. But internal comms was a big part of my role and where I cut my teeth on my very first newsletter, a simple A4-4 pager, issued monthly to keep the company’s sales force informed on the latest film releases and promotional packages available for their customers.
Over the years, internal communication was mostly another ‘channel’ in my comms mix, alongside PR and marketing comms. And, while I got a buzz out of selling in an idea to the media and seeing my work in print (and still do), I had become cynical about the value of my work.
In 1998, after managing the global Thomas Cook account at Peterborough marketing agency, I took on the role of Head of Internal Communications at Thomas Cook Financial Services (TCFS). A very conscious decision indeed and one of the best roles I’ve had in terms of making an impact.
From day one it was a full-on and varied role with very specific objectives to measure my work against. With a dotted line to the Global MD and regular updates with the Group CEO, I was trusted to lead: my first ever internal comms audit; the comms for a global change programme; an award-winning fundraising programme that raised over £125,000 for Action for Children; the comms for the introduction of the Euro and its impact on the foreign exchange business (including two week-long stays in Cannes staying in 5 star-plus hotels!). It seriously was a dream job and opened my eyes to the power of internal communication and satisfaction of making a difference for people in their workplace, particularly during times of change.
After around 18 months it felt that there was nothing more for me to strive for. I’d achieved a huge amount in a relatively short period and had the choice between an interim role with AMP or a secondment to another change project in TCFS. I chose the interim role, which was pivotal in establishing myself as an independent internal communication specialist.
With a comms career that spans four decades, mostly as an interim / freelance IC specialist, an MA in Internal Comms Management through Kingston University, an IoIC Fellow and Mentor, you could say I’m passionate about my profession.
From the early days of my career through to today, I’ve had the privilege of helping companies achieve their goals. Whether that’s achieving sales or growth targets, breaking down communication barriers to improving employee engagement and helping employees navigate the impact of change. What other profession can offer this depth and breadth of opportunity?
As I prepare to transition towards retirement, and as an I Chose IC Ambassador, I want to give something back. To share my knowledge and experiences with the younger generation and the IC community; to help others learn from my mistakes, to make it easier for people than it has been, at times, for me.
I want to raise awareness and recognition of what internal comms is and the vast amount of career opportunities available to the next generation and promote IC for the hugely diverse, interesting, impactful and worthwhile profession it is. A profession to be proud of.
Then my work here will be done.
This blog is part of our #IChoseIC Series. The #IChoseIC Campaign aims to raise awareness of internal communication as a career pathway and shift the narrative from 'I fell into IC' to 'I chose IC'.
You can find out more about the #IChoseIC campaign and how to get involved here.
